\"The Age of the Marvelous,\" an exhibition planned at the North Carolina Museum of Art for January 25 - March 22, 1992, will explore the 16th- and 17th-century fascination with the \"marvelous,\" meaning the unusual, unexpected, and/or exotic.

The new exhibit Small Treasures: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and Their Contemporaries will be on display in the Meymandi Exhibition Gallery through January. This exhibition is the first ever to focus on small portraits by Dutch and Flemish painters from the seventeenth century. During the seventeenth century, portrait painting was not highly regarded, but the group of artists exhibited elevated the status of portraiture with their skill. The exhibition is previewed by describing the history of the period, describing portraits painted by Vermeer and Rembrandt , and describing the impact of masterpieces.

Curator Dennis P. Weller of the North Carolina Museum of Art is interviewed about the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer’s work is featured in the new exhibition Small Treasures. Vermeer’s popularity, his skill, his style, and the importance of exhibiting his work in Raleigh are all discussed.

The painting Lady Mary Villiers, Later Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, with Charles Hamilton, Lord Arran (circa 1637) was recently restored by the Museum’s Conservation Lab. Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck’s portrait is considered a masterpiece, but suffered from discolored varnish, areas of retouching, and pentimenti. The cleaning and restoration process are described along with the quality and history of the painting.